


The Ways of Magic

by Spooky66



Category: The X-Files
Genre: 70s, Costume Party, F/M, Fleetwood Mac, Halloween, Lindsey Buckingham - Freeform, Pre-Season/Series 01, Stevie Nicks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 05:11:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15789630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spooky66/pseuds/Spooky66





	The Ways of Magic

The year is 1981, the apartment is shitty, and the curly wig on Mulder’s head is stifling. Looking at himself in the mirror makes him question why he’s even going to this stupid party. Taking a deep breath he reminds himself that this might be his chance to see Phoebe again.

So, dressed in bell-bottoms, a half-buttoned shirt, and platform shoes he goes to a party dressed as Lindsey Buckingham.

He feels like an idiot.

Spending the summer in New York City has been a ride but this takes the cake.

The theme of the party is famous couples of the 70s each person was told who to dress as and the challenge is to find your partner.

Mulder had no interest in the party until his roommate mentioned that Phoebe would be going. Rob’s not the best roommate but he’s not the worst Mulder’s ever had and since his girlfriend is hosting the party Rob promised that Phoebe would be coming dressed as Stevie Nicks.

“You gotta come, man. It’s gonna be great. Shane’s going to be there, he’s bringing his pot and you know that shits the best. And if you and Phoebe win the costume contest you get a free dinner at some fancy joint!”

Mulder’s never worked so hard on a costume in his entire life. Usually, he doesn’t care much for dressing up. He’d rather spend his Halloweens at a famously haunted spot but the promise of a second chance with his dream girl is too much to pass up.

Having convinced himself that Phoebe has changed and that she is ready for a relationship, as her last letter said, he leaves the apartment with a smile.

\----

“I can’t pull off Stevie Nicks, I don’t have the sex appeal,” Dana says as she looks at herself in the mirror. After a week of going to second-hand shops and an hour of hair teasing Dana still feels like a little girl playing dress up.

“I told you to ditch the bra, that will help.” Ellen yells from the bathroom.

Dana sighs and undoes her bra from under the gauzy dress and pulls it out the long hanging sleeve.

She has to admit that the dress is perfect. It’s flowy with a plunging neckline and long sleeves that hang down her sides. When she moves it follows behind in a haze of black see-through material. When she holds her arms out at her sides she looks like some kind of black butterfly.

She remembers being a teenager listening to Rumors for the millionth time on Melissa’s travel record player. She’d saved for weeks to get a lacy shawl that she only wore in the privacy of her own bedroom when she and Missy played Stevie. They’d twirl around and sing with hairbrushes. And it was Dana’s favorite game until Missy told her one-day that it was a stupid game that they were too old to play.

Dana looks behind her to make sure that Ellen is still in the bathroom before she does a small twirl in front of the mirror. The dress has the exact witchy effect that she was looking for and she can’t help but smile.

Ellen comes out of the bathroom with hair a mile high and a red dress that went from her neck to the floor and Dana couldn’t help but laugh.

Ellen’s eyes lit up, “Do I scream Marie Osmond?”

“Yes, you do. Love the hair.”

“Good, cause it took forever.” Ellen gives an evil smile and begins to rifel through a paper bag on her side of the room, “I also have your finishing touch.”

Dana’s eyebrows draw together until she catches sight of the black top hat that Ellen pulls out.

“Ta-da!”

Dana laughs as Ellen places it on her head.

“Perfect!” Her friend says.

Dana shrugs but smiles.

“Ready to go?” Ellen asks and after a nod from Dana they grab their things and head out dressed to the nines.

\----

“Mulder you’re late!” Yells an unknown friend across the crowded room as he enters. It’s hazy and he can tell he’s late because the party is already in full swing.

He’s momentarily distracted as a leather-clad John Travolta takes the stage after a moment he recognizes ‘Danny’ as his roommate Rob.

“All right ladies and gents! All right chill out! We’ve got a special surprise for you tonight!”

The room begins to quiet after a few catcalls, laughs, and playful derogatory remarks.

“Ok, ok. So as a special surprise Missy was able to get a huge celebrity musical guest to show up and I think that this one is going to rock your world. So without farther ado, I want to call up the queen of rock, the sexy, the witchy, the magical: Stevie Nicks!” Rob holds out his arm off to the side of the tiny stage as people scream and laugh.

Mulder waits with bated breath to see Phoebe but is surprised and confused to see another, unknown woman take the stage. She’s the spitting image of Stevie Nicks if she had red hair that is.

The tiny woman looks nervous but there is a certain gleam in her eyes.

She looks off to the side and gives a nod. A moment later the opening cords to “Rhiannon” fill the room.

The lookalike takes the mic in a practiced gesture and speaks, “This song’s about an old Welsh Witch.” She says in her best Stevie voice.

The crowd cheers and laughs.

As the real Stevie’s voice plays the woman mouths the words perfectly. Her long sleeves dance as she moves her arms in trademark Nicks moves. Her body moves with the music and even though she tries to keep her face serious he can still see the small curve of her lips.

The disappointment he felt at seeing someone besides Phoebe dressed as Stevie Nicks is replaced by curiosity about the young red-haired woman on the stage.

She’s mesmerizing.

When the vocals stop she twirls to the music.

The song begins to wind down and at the very end, over Stevie’s fading voice, the young woman yells, “Thank you, New York!” And with a smile makes her way off stage.

The crowd goes wild and demands an encore but Rob comes on to inform them that Cher and Sonny are going next.

“Hey Mulder! Did you meet your partner yet?” Comes the voice of his friend Dave. Mulder sighs and shakes his head.

“Follow me!”

He follows and as he does Dave tells him about the woman he is partnered with.

“Her name is Dana, she’s Missy’s sister! That’s why she got Nicks, Missy knew it would be her favorite.”

“I thought Phoebe was going to be Stevie Nicks.” Mulder says flatly.

Dave shrugs, “Missy doesn’t know Phoebe. I think she was only invited cause she’s a friend of a friend and happened to be in town. I mean who’s she going to pick? Some British woman she doesn’t know or her sister who is a huge Fleetwood Mac fan?”

Mulder begins to look for Phoebe as they approach a group of people surrounding the Stevie to his Lindsey.

As his friend pushed past a Princess Leia, Brad and Janet, and another John Travolta al la Saturday Night Fever Mulder sees her across the room dressed as Karen Carpenter.

“Hey Mulder, Mulder!” His friend Dave yells over the music and pulls him away from his glimpse of Phoebe.

“Fox Mulder this is Dana Scully.” His friend says by way of introduction. And a pair of big blue eyes captures Mulder.

Dana’s full lips turn up as she holds out a hand.

He looks down at the slender proffered hand for a moment before shaking it. Her hand is warm and dry and he doesn’t want to let go.

“Dana is studying pre-med right now but is spending the summer in New York with her sister. You know Melissa Scully right? She’s dating your roommate.”

Mulder nods but his eyes don’t leave Dana’s.

“Thanks, Dave.” Mulder utters as he pushes Dave away. Dave smiles a big smile one last time and makes his exit.

“Love the digs.” Mulder says after a moment.

Dana looks down at her outfit as if just noticing that she is in costume.

“Thanks, you too.”

Rob’s voice once again fills the room before they get more of a chance to talk.

“Ok everybody now is the time to find your partner and dance! We will be playing a few classic love songs while you all scramble to find your match and in an hour we will announce the winners of the costume contest. Have fun!”

The beginning cords of “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel begin to play and Mulder raises an eyebrow at his partner.

“Want to dance?” He holds out his hand and once again her slight hand is in his.

He pulls her near.

“So Fox what do you do?” She asks after a moment.

Mulder gives a breathy chuckle, “Call me ‘Mulder’ I hate ‘Fox’.”

She grins, “Okay, ‘Mulder’, call me ‘Scully’ then.”

He laughs and agrees.

“Well, I’m only here for the summer. In the fall I’m moving to D.C. to start training to be in the FBI.”

Her eyebrows shoot up, “The FBI? Wow.”

Mulder shrugs and they continue dancing. They make small talk, how each of them is liking New York, has she ever been to England, has he ever been to California until the next song begins.

“Hopelessly Devoted To You” begins to play and Mulder pulls her slightly closer. Her lovely sapphire eyes entrance him until a hand lands on Scully’s shoulder and they turn to see Phoebe.

Mulder is surprised to realize that he’s hardly given her a thought since he began dancing with Scully.

“May I cut in?” Phoebe’s eyes are only for him and she begins to push Scully aside before either of them can respond.

Mulder keeps hold of Scully’s hand and moves away, “Shouldn’t you be looking for the Richard to your Karen?”

Phoebe laughs and flips the long brown wig she is wearing.

“Already found him. I wasn’t impressed. But I saw how well those tight jeans fit you and had to come over.”

Mulder’s face warms as he feels both women’s eyes looking him up and down.

“Well, I’ve got a partner. We can talk later.”

“Did you get my letter?” Her hand traces his bicep and Scully begins to pull away looking uncomfortable.

“Um, I’ll go find my sister-“

Mulder feels a moment of panic, “No, Phoebe it was good to see you. Go enjoy the party. Find your partner.”

He pulls Scully by the hand away from Phoebe’s fiery eyes.

Dana feels particularly awkward as the song ends and the eyes of the British woman continue to size her up.

Mulder’s hand wraps around her waist and pulls her close.

“Sorry… That’s- uh- Well that’s my ex from when I was at Oxford. I heard she was in town. She can be a little-“ He uses his free hand to gesture in the air.

Scully laughs and wraps her arms around his neck.

Elvin Bishop starts to sing “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” and Scully’s heart speeds up. They are close now, chest to chest and she’s sure he can feel her braless breasts pressed against his bare chest.

“Do you normally have a beard or did you grow it for this?” She asks, all out of good questions.

Mulder looks embarrassed and his gaze goes to their feet, “Would you judge me if I told you I grew it for this?”

She laughs and runs her fingers through the well-trimmed beard, “No, I’m impressed. It adds to the overall image. You look just like the Lindsey Buckingham I dreamt of as a teenager.”

When the words leave her mouth she immediately regrets them and clears her throat before looking away.

Mulder’s eyes dance though and he responds in kind.

“Well, you really pull off a woman who was the feature of many a wet dream in the 70s.”

She gasps and giggles.

“Did you ever see them in concert?” He probes they finish laughing.

She nods, “Twice. It was earth shattering.”

“Favorite song?”

“Oh, God. I can’t choose. It changes every day.”

“What is it today?”

Their eyes meet and she considers.

“Today, I’d say its Dreams.”

“Has your heart been broken recently?” Mulder half-jokes.

“It’s tough to pick a Fleetwood song that isn’t about heartbreak.”

“Good point.”

“But no, I don’t have a boyfriend.” Scully offers before she can rethink it.

“That was my next question. Since we are obviously going to win the free dinner, I didn’t want to be stepping on anyone’s toes.”

She smiles, “We’re shoe-ins.”

The love ballads continue until Melissa takes to the stage dressed in tight leather as Sandy.

“Everyone ready for the results of the costume contest! The first place winners will get a free dinner at Barbetta’s, second place will get two tickets to the movie of their choice, and third place will get a bottle of wine. We will start with our third place winners…. Drum roll!”

People stomp their feet and roll their tongues causing laughter to erupt.

“Third place goes to The Osmond’s!” Melissa announces as “It Takes Two” begins to play and Scully cheers loudly.

“That’s my roommate!” She tells Mulder over the din and he claps.

“Ok calm down! Second place goes to Peaches & Herb!” “Shake Your Groove Thing” booms over the crowd and people cheer for the Disco duo as they take the stage.

“Finally, pushed over the edge by a stellar performance a crowd favorite and the couple voted with the most chemistry: Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham!”

Mulder and Scully look at each other shocked before running to the stage.

Missy hugs her sister and hands them an envelope with their prize.

People begin to shout “Speech!!” And Mulder looks at Scully expectantly.

Nervously she moves to the mic.

“We are honored to win! Happy we could pay homage to two talented artists. Hopefully, our dinner won’t be as tumultuous as their relationship.”

People laugh and cheer and after a few minutes, the music starts back up.

Mulder stays by Scully’s side for the rest of the night on the dance floor, by the drinks, and on a couch passing a joint. They talk about anything and everything.

Scully takes a deep hit and giggles at the feeling of Mulder’s fingers tickling her bare shoulder and his breath on her ear. 

At around 3 a.m Melissa finds her sister practically sitting on top of Mulder as they drunkenly discuss the pros and cons of space travel.

Missy smiles at her sister before getting her attention, “Hey Day, time to get you home. You’ll see Mulder soon.”

Scully pouts but gets up. Missy came prepared and hands Mulder a piece of paper with Scully’s number.

“You guys can set up your date when you’ve sobered up.” She looks between them, “I’ll give you a moment.”

The pair looks embarrassed as Missy walks away.

“Will you call?” Scully asks softly and looks up uncertainly, remembering the tall seductive woman from the beginning of the night. The British woman, Phoebe, seemed to follow them for the rest of the night and Scully couldn’t help but wonder if he was just taking pity on her by spending time with her.

He holds out the envelope with the certificate to Barbetta’s that he’d had in his pocket.

“I’m thinking next Saturday, hold on to this.” Their fingers brush as she takes it.

After a deep breath, Mulder wraps his arms tightly around her waist and kisses her.

Scully’s platform boots give her the extra height needed to pull herself right up against him and her top hat falls to the floor as the kiss grows more passionate.

The kiss is the taste and smell of beer and pot and it goes on for nearly thirty seconds until both of them pull away to breathe.

“Get home safe.” He whispers against her forehead.

She nods and follows the sound of her sister’s voice, giving him one last look before being swallowed by the crowd.


End file.
